Display container and blank therefor



Dec. 18, 1945.

M. l. WILLIAMSON ET AL.

DISPLAY CONTAINER AND BLANK THEREFOR 2. Shee tS-Shee t 1 Filed Jan. 25, 1943 INVENTORS MARS HALL LWILLIAMSON YMOND FINK TH ATTORNFY Dec. 18, 1945. M. 1. WILLIAMSON ETAL 2,391,235

DISPLAYv CONTAINER AND BL ANK THEREFOR Filgd Jan. '25, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR m Y K um N LO A

Patented Dec. 18, 1945 'DISPLAY'CONTAINERSAND BLANK THEREFOR a I p I Marshall I. Williamson, New York, Y., and

Raymond. Fink, Easthaven, .Conn.',- assignorsi to I National Folding Box Company,.-New Haven,

Conn., a corporation of New J ersey' Application January 25, 1943, Serial 'No.--=4'73,4'3

. v5 Claims. Theinvention relates toimprovements in display containers andblan'ksfor forming the same.

More particularly, the invention 'relatesto display containers for packaged items of merchandise such 'as tobacco, candy and the like commonly sold "at retail.

- Embodiments "of the invention display such packaged merchandise in effective visual arrangement; as in stepped'tiers whereby major portions of" the individual packages on each tier are exposefdto view so that pertinent trade-mark and other sales indicia on each are visible. These characteristics serve to enhance sales of the packaged merchandise, and invite the placing by'the retailer ofthe display contain'erlupon a counter or like support readily accessible to the purchaser.

".By such tiered arrangementlof the packages of merchandise, the invention'affords the advantage of nesting or interfitting of two of "the'filledldisplay containers to conserve shipping space"'and provide mutual protective support.

A primary feature of the invention resides in theparticular configuration, cutting, and scoring of'theflat blank of sheet material from which the displaycontainer is subsequently set up, whereby an internal structure isprovided to support such merchandise in such stepped display relation- Tojefiec'rt.s'uchdisplayrelationship of the packa'gedmerchandise, step. formations are provided withinithe' container, wiienthe blank is set up, to support theflpackages in two.o1 'more tiers. These steplibrmations give rise to" openings visible" from the exterior ,of the .display container 3 when ;the latter'iis partially set -up, These openings-are adapted to receive suitably formed locking tongues, integrally or otherwise connected with,

thebo dy portion of the b1ank,1.and which,"when inserted in such :openings in locking position, serve to secure the display in set-upcondition and toconcealthe openings from .vieW., H

Preferably, as is afforded by the invention,:the blank is out and scored sothat suchstepiormations-will be automatically brought into position durin gthe settin up of the blank to displaycon- ,dition,,as hyaninwardflexing movement.

Thedisplay container may takevariant form's ofpsuchistructure, thersameflzbeing dulydimensioned to conform to the particular dimensions of the merchandiseto ibeLdisplayed therein,

In the drawings: f i!ig.;1represents 'afront-perspective view of one preferred emlziodimentof the invention; illustrat- 1 5 ing the same containing three tiers of packages (if'merchandise, each tier comprising one =pack-.

age; a

Fig; 2, a front perspective 'viewcorresponding to'that of 1, butshowingthe display container'as empty of "merchandise;

'Fig. 3, a plan 'view' of the inside-face of 'a blank typical of those whichimay be *employed'to form the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2' oiintegral sheet material;

Fig 4; a front, perspective-view corresponding to that of Fig; 2, but illustrating another preferredembodirnent'of the invention adapted to accommodate two merchandise packageson'each tier;-

Figi'fi, a'fragmentary perspective'view or the left-hand-portion of Fig. 4, showing 'certain'of theinterengaging-parts as about to be interengaged in the setting up'of the displayconta'iner from the flat-collapsed condition;

Fig. -6,a'front elevation of the embodiments of Figs. 4 and 5, drawnto a reduced scale,and illustrating the display of threetiers of merchandise,

each tiermade'up or two packages;

Fig. '7', a plan view of the insideface of a blank typical of those'whichmay be employed to form the embodiment of Figs.*4and :5 of mtegral'sh'eet material.

Referring to the embodiments shown in'Figs. 1, 2 "and- 3, the'illustrated display containerfindic'ated generally "I I], comprises a back panel I 1 opposing sidepan-els I 2, l-i-hingedly related'to'the back panel 'I I, and a bottom panel -I3 hinge'dly related to the back panel II. Hingedlyrelated, respectively, to-the sidepanels I2, I2 are panels I4, 44*, these'panels I4, "I4 are arranged to interlockyand, when interlocked, are "superimposed upon the bottom panel I 3. Hingedly connected withthe "bottorn'panel 'lt is a'iront panel I5,

which interconnects the oppositely positioned side locking panels I6, I6.

in; this embodiment'there aretwo stepformations I1; I beach step formation being provided in the blank'byisuitablycuttingandscoring the material 'ofa sidepan'el I2 and of the therewith associated panel I4 The reference numerals Ha, Ha indicate lines of severingthe'reference numerals Ila and I 4al-inesof scoring, and :the

reference numeral I'lb anintermediateline'of pscoring;allcontributing'to the formation'of a 50' step I1 inEthe set-up display container,

The reference numerals :II a, I Ib, 1511,1517, '18, Iila and 19b all indicate scorelines, provided'between the various panels concerned for enabling the blank of *Fig. '3 to be 'folded into th'etset-up condition illustrated in "Fi-gsurand 2.

ranged in substantial alignment with one another, and in particular have their respective article-supporting panels in substantial horizontal alignment. When theside'panels l2, l2

are folded forwardly, the interlocking panels |4, M are interlocked and adapted to lie over and flatwise upon bottom panel I3, and when front panel I5 is raised, side-locking panels 16,16 are brought flatwise against the side wall panels l2, i2 and their tongue-end portions are slid inside the display container under the step formations ll, |'i until their hook-like locking formations I617, Ifib catch hold of the respective step formations and so look such display container securely in set-up condition. It should be noted that the side-locking panels l6, l6 serve additionally to cover the apertures resulting in side-wall-pan els [2, when the step formations l1, I! are formed therefrom.

It is understod that the component parts of the display containers are duly dimensioned with respect to the merchandise .to be displayed. As an illustration, as indicated in Fig. 1, the mermost and foremost disposed tier, two packages in the intermediate or central tier, and two packages 28, 28, in the topmost and rearmost tier.

As appears from Figs. 4 and 5, and by reference to the blank shown in Fig. 7, the step formation 3|, 3|, is formed of material jointly of the bottom panel l3 and back panel H, by cutting as indicated and by scoring onthe lines 3|a, SH), and 3|c. The ledge tab 3id is formed by suitably cutting the material of the tread portion 3|, as indicated, referred to more fully hereinafter, and serves to positively retain the packages 28, 28, see Fig. 6, of the topmost and rearmost tier.

To support the packages of the intermediate tier, such as the packages 21, 27, cooperatively with the oppositely related step formations i1, ll, the intermediate step formation 30, 30' is provided, see Figs. 4, 5 and 7, by suitably cutting the material jointly of the bottom panel |3 and of the'riser portion 3| and scoring at the indicated score lines 39a, 36b, 30c, similarly as with respect to the above described step formation 3|, 3|.

To facilitate assembly and for reinforcing the step formation upon being set-up, which is effected automatically when folding the bottom l3 at its hinging score line |8-|8, the bottom overlapping panels l l, M are of lesser extension, as compared with those of, Figs. 1, 2,and 3, and are provided with looking projections |9', |9', ar-

' ranged and dimensioned to be swung through chandise is in the form of identical packages.

One package, denoted 2|, is received within and fills a forward space within the display container, and provides the lowermost-and foremost-tier. The next package, denoted 22, rests upon and straddles the oppositely disposed step formations l1, l1, and forms the second tier. In the rearmost space of the display container, two

packag'es'23 and 23 are received. One of the' packages 23 rests upon the interlocked panels l4, l4 rearwardly of the step formations ll, l1. The other of the packages 23 is superimposed on the first and presents, in an uppermost and rearmost tier, the third visually displayed package.

Desirably, and as shown, an extension panel, denoted 24, may be blanked from the material of the back panel and hingedly connected therewith by' the score line 24a, whereby the panel hingedly connected therewith by the score line 24a, whereby the panel 24 may be swung forward and upward, to extend above the back panel I Such panel 24 may receive any desired printed matter and it will be noted that such printed matter may be impressed in the same operation with any printed matter desired on the exterior faces ing panels. e

The tab 24?) may also be provided by suitably cutting'and scoring the material of the panel 24. It provides for locking the panel 24 in display positionr'elative to the upper edge of the back panel The embodiment of the invention shown in Figs, 4 through 7 comprises the essential structural and functional features of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and like parts are denoted by like reference characters. The embodiment of Figs. 4 through '7 is constructed and dimens'ioned to display three tiers of packaged merchandise, but in tiers of two or more packages disposed side-by-side, as indicated in Fig. 6,

for example, two packages 26, 26 in the lowerof the side panels and/or lockthe respective end openings of the step formation 38, 30', until they rest upon the bottom panel l3, and frictionally engage the inner face of the riser portion 30 of the step formation 30, 30.

The tab 30d, formed by suitably cutting the material'of the tread portion 30, as indicated, is advantageous in serving to positively retain the packages 21, 21, Fig. 6, of the intermediate tier.

It will be observed that the material of the step formation 3|], 30, is partly in common with the material of the step formation 3|, 3|, and accordingly when the blank is folded at the fold line l8, the step formations 3|], 30' and 3| and 3| are progressively advanced with respect to the plane of the rear panel The embodiment of Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 includes a locking tab |6c for each of the locking panels l6, l6; these tabs I60 are an alternate form of locking means as compared with the hook formations |6b of the above; described embodiment, shown in. Figures 1, 2; and 3. The tabs |6c respectively engage the under-faces of the tread portions of their associated step formations I1, after insertion of the panel l6 within the respective openings formed upon setting up the step formations l1, l1, and are respectively locked by the forward 'cut edges of the stated openings. These looking tabs |6c add to the bracing of the step formations and assist in supporting the merchandise packages 21, 27, placed upon the step formations", l1. T a l V I Only one intermediate'step formation 30, 30', is illustrated in the embodiment of Figs. 4 through'7, but it is obvious that several, arranged side-by-side in spaced relationship, may be provided where the display container is to hold inore than two packages side-by-side in a single ier. 2

Whereas wehave "described our invention bymaybe made provided they do notidepart from the scope of the claims;

We claim:

1. In a folding display container, the combination of side wall panels; a pair of bottom panels extending, respectively, from the lower ends of said side wall panels and folded inwardly of said display container angularly with respect to said side wall panels; a pair of substantially oppositely disposed foldable step formations associated, respectively, with said side wall panels and extending inwardly of said display container, said step formations being formed of panels which result from cutting the material of said side wall panels and of their said associated bottom panels, respectively; a back wall panel extending intermediate the said side wall panels and joining the latter together; a front wall panel; a bottomforming panel extending intermediate the said back wall panel and the said front wall panels and joining them together; and a pair of locking panels extending from opposite ends of said front wall panel and folded backwardly against the outside faces of said'side wall panels, respectively, said locking panels being provided with locking formations which extend within said display container adjacent said step formations and lock thereat serving to retain said display container in set-up condition.

2. In a folding display container, the combination of side wall panels; a pair of bottom panels extending, respectively, from the lower ends of said side wall panels and folded inwardly of said display container angularly with respect to said side wall panels; a pair of substantially oppositely disposed foldable step formations associated, respectively; with said side wall panels and extending inwardly of said display container, said step formations being formed of panels which result from cutting the material of said side wall panels and of their said associated bottom panels, re-

spectively; a back wall panel extending intermediate the said side wall panels and joining the latter together; a front wall panel; a bottomforming panel extending intermediate the said back wall panel and the said front wall panel and joining them together; a pair of locking panels extending from opposite ends of said front wall panel and folded backwardly against the outside faces of said side wall panels, respectively, said locking panels being provided with locking formations which extend within said display container adjacent said step formations and lock thereat serving to retain said display container in set-up condition; and one or more additional foldable step formations disposed within said display container, said additional step formations being formed of panels which result from cutting the material of said back wall panel and of said bottom-forming panel.

3. Structure as recited in claim 2 wherein the said pair of bottom panels are formed to partially extend within one or more of said additional step formations for aiding in retaining saiddisplay container in set-up condition.

4. Structure as recited in claim 1 wherein the forming 'of said step formations results in exterior openings in said side wall panels, and wherein said locking panels extend over said openings and serve to cover them from view.

5. In a folding display container, the combination of two wall panels formed integrally and hingedly related along a line of score; a step formation projecting inwardly of the angle included between said two panels when the display container is set up, one of said two panels when set up extending vertically, said vertically extending panel embodying an opening when set up, said step formation being integral with said two wall panels and, formed of portions of the integral material of said two wall panels; a third wall panel formed integrally with one of the two said wall panels and hingedly related thereto along a line of score; and a locking panel extending from said third wall panel and adapted for insertion through said opening of said vertically extending wall panel, from the outside of said included angle and under said step formation, said locking panel having locking formations which engage said step formation and effectively support the same in setup condition when the display container is set up, said locking panel when its said locking formations are engaged serving to conceal said opening of said vertically extending wall panel.

MARSHALL I. WILLIAMSON. RAYMOND FINK. 

